Turkey Orders Release of Deniz Yucel, a Journalist

The state-run Anadolu news agency in Turkey reported that prosecutors had filed an indictment against Mr. Yucel seeking between four and 18 years in jail. It was at the hearing in which Mr. Yucel was indicted that the court ordered he be let go until the start of the trial, but that was believed to be a procedural step that was necessary to arrange his release.

Mr. Yucel, who was accused by Mr. Erdogan of acting as an agent for the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, has yet to be physically freed from Silivri prison, about 60 miles from Istanbul. But his family was already celebrating.

Mr. Yucel was one of scores of journalists arrested by the Turkish authorities in a broader crackdown after a failed coup in 2016, in which tens of thousands of people were detained.

Taner Kilic, a Turkish citizen and the chairman of Amnesty International Turkey, was also jailed on terrorism charges and recently ordered released by a court in Istanbul. Before he could be released, however, he was remanded in custody on appeal by the prosecutors.